Kenyan President Jomo Kenyatta told a rally in Nairobi on Monday (20 October) that political stability was a vital factor in Kenya's progress as a developing nation. The President also attacked his Parliamentary critics as "men of little faith who seek to confuse the people".

The rally was called to commemorate the 23rd anniversary of President Kenyatta's arrest and detention by British authorities during the Mau Mau insurgency.

President Kenyatta's warning to opposition within the ruling Kenya African National Union (KANU) followed the detention of two of the most outspoken Government opponents earlier this month. After their detention the President made what's since been dubbed his "chickens" speech to KANU members of Parliament -- a reference to his comments about the hawk in the sky and the chickens on the ground.

However, although the President's latest speech referred to the opposition, the main emphasis was on the need for strong stable government to safeguard Kenya's democratic institutions.

This is a prevailing theme in the Kenyan capital at the moment and forms part of the Government's answer to recent criticism in the British press.

The Government is sensitive to such attacks -- particularly as Kenya depends on its image of stability to attract tourism and foreign investment.